Signs of Nerve Damage

This article describes the most common signs of nerve damage for the three major types of nerves.

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Definition of Nerve Damage

Nerve damage is any injury or irritation of a nerve that prevents it from performing its functions optimally.

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General Signs of Nerve damage

The signs of nerve damage are primarily dependent on the type of nerve that is injured or irritated. However, there are some common signs that manifest in several different types of nerve damage. These signs include:

Sensory Nerve Damage

Our senses (i.e. taste, touch, smell) are controlled by sensory nerves. When you touch a hot object and pull away quickly, your sensory nerves are responsible for sending the message to the brain that you need to pull away immediately. They are also responsible for positional awareness and balance. In addition to the common signs of nerve damage described above, sensory nerve damage can result in:

Diminished capacity to feel vibration

Diminished capacity to feel light touches

Numbness primarily in the hands and feet

Inability to distinguish blunt and sharp objects

Inability to tell the difference between shapes

Loss of coordination when performing every day activities (i.e. walking)

Loss of balance

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Autonomic nerve damage

As stated above, motor nerves control voluntary movements. Autonomic nerves, in contrast, control involuntary or semi-voluntary bodily functions such as the pumping of the heart, breathing, and blood pressure. It follows, therefore, that damage to autonomic nerves can result in a wide array of symptoms that are dependent on which body system is impacted. Some of the most common symptoms include: